Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk’s Prayer
1The prayer of Habakkuk the prophet.#3:1 The Hebrew text adds “according to shigyonoth,” which may be an instruction for a special style of music.
2Lord, I have heard the news about you.
I am amazed, Lord, at the powerful things you did in the past.
Now I pray that you will do great things in our time.
Please make these things happen in our own days.
But in your anger,
remember to show mercy to us. Selah
3God is coming from Teman.
The Holy One is coming from Mount Paran. Selah
His glory covers the heavens,
and his praise fills the earth!
4Rays of light shine from his hand, a bright, shining light.
There is such power hiding in that hand.
5The sickness went before him,
and the destroyer followed behind him.#3:5 This probably refers to the diseases and the angel of death that God sent against the Egyptians when God freed Israel from slavery.
6He stood and judged the earth.
He looked at the people of all the nations,
and they shook with fear.
For many years the mountains stood strong,
but those mountains fell to pieces.
Those old, old hills fell down.
God has always been able to do that.
7I saw that the cities of Cushan were in trouble
and that the houses of Midian trembled with fear.
8Lord, were you angry at the rivers?
Were you angry at the streams?
Were you angry at the sea?
Were you angry when you rode your horses and chariots to victory?
9Even then you showed your rainbow.
It was proof of your agreement with the families of the earth.#3:9 rainbow … earth See Gen. 9. Selah
And the dry land split the rivers.
10The mountains saw you and shook.
The water flowed off the land.
The water from the sea made a loud noise
as it lost its power over the land.
11The sun and the moon lost their brightness.
They stopped shining when they saw your bright flashes of lightning.
That lightning was like spears and arrows shooting through the air.
12In anger you walked on the earth
and punished the nations.
13You came to save your people
and to lead your chosen king#3:13 chosen king Literally, “anointed one.” to victory.
You killed the leader in every evil family,
from the least important person
to the most important in the land.#3:13 You killed … in the land Literally, “You struck the head from the wicked house. From the foundation to the neck they were laid bare.” Selah
14You used Moses’ walking stick
to stop the enemy soldiers.
Those soldiers came
like a powerful storm to fight against us.
They thought they could defeat us easily,
as robbing the poor in secret.
15But you marched your horses
through the deep water, stirring up the mud.
16My whole body shook when I heard the story.
My lips trembled.
I felt weak deep down in my bones
and stood there shaking.
But I will wait patiently for destruction to come to those who attack us.
Always Rejoice in the Lord
17Figs might not grow on the fig trees,
and grapes might not grow on the vines.
Olives might not grow on the olive trees,
and food might not grow in the fields.
There might not be any sheep in the pens
or cattle in the barns.
18But I will still be glad in the Lord
and rejoice in God my Savior.
19The Lord GOD gives me my strength.
He helps me run fast like a deer.
He leads me safely on the mountains.
To the music director. On my stringed instruments.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Habakkuk 3
3
Habakkuk’s Prayer
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.
2O Lord, #ver. 16; [Ps. 44:1] I have heard the report of you,
and #Ps. 90:16 your work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years #Ps. 85:6 revive it;
in the midst of the years make it known;
# [Ps. 77:9] in wrath remember mercy.
3God came from #See 1 Chr. 1:45 Teman,
# See Deut. 33:2 and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
4 # See Ezek. 1:27 His brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.
5 # [2 Kgs. 19:35]; See Ex. 12:29, 30; 1 Chr. 21:11-15 Before him went pestilence,
and plague followed #[Job 18:11]at his heels.#3:5 Hebrew feet
6He stood #[Ps. 60:6] and measured the earth;
he looked and shook the nations;
then the #Gen. 49:26; Deut. 33:15 eternal mountains #Mic. 1:4; Nah. 1:5 were scattered;
the everlasting hills sank low.
His were #[Isa. 51:9]the everlasting ways.
7I saw the tents of #Judg. 3:8 Cushan in affliction;
# See Judg. 8:19-21 the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 # [Ps. 114:5] Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord?
Was your anger against the rivers,
# [Ps. 114:5] or your indignation against the sea,
#
Deut. 33:26, 27; Ps. 18:10; 68:4, 17; 104:3; Isa. 19:1; 66:15 when you rode on your horses,
#
Deut. 33:26, 27; Ps. 18:10; 68:4, 17; 104:3; Isa. 19:1; 66:15 on your chariot of salvation?
9You stripped the sheath from your bow,
calling for many arrows.#3:9 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain Selah
#
Ps. 78:15, 16 You split the earth with rivers.
10 #
Ex. 19:18; See Judg. 5:5 The mountains saw you and writhed;
the raging waters swept on;
#
Ps. 93:3 the deep gave forth its voice;
# [Ex. 14:22; 15:8] it lifted its hands on high.
11 # See Josh. 10:12, 13 The sun and moon stood still in their place
# [ver. 5]; See 2 Sam. 22:15 at the light of your arrows as they sped,
at the flash of your glittering spear.
12 # [Josh. 10:42] You marched through the earth in fury;
# [Mic. 4:12, 13] you threshed the nations in anger.
13 # [See ver. 12 above] You went out for the salvation of your people,
for the salvation of #1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15 your anointed.
#
Ps. 68:21; 110:6 You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
laying him bare from thigh to neck.#3:13 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain Selah
14You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors,
who came like a whirlwind to scatter me,
rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret.
15 # [Ps. 77:19] You trampled the sea with your horses,
the surging of mighty waters.
16 # ver. 2 I hear, and #Jer. 4:19 my body trembles;
my lips quiver at the sound;
# [Prov. 12:4] rottenness enters into my bones;
my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet #[Ps. 94:13; Isa. 14:3, 4]I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us.
Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord
17Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 # [Job 13:15] yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
#
Ps. 9:14; 13:5; 21:1; 35:9; Luke 1:47; See Joel 2:23 I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
# See 2 Sam. 2:18 he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me #Amos 4:13; Mic. 1:3 tread on my #Deut. 32:13; 33:29 high places.
# See Ps. 4 To the choirmaster: with #Isa. 38:20stringed#3:19 Hebrew my stringed instruments.
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